A schematic diagram of a conventional fixing device of temperature sensing device is shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, a conventional fixing device 103 comprises a temperature sensing element holder 101 for holding the tip of a temperature sensing element 100, a main body fixing portion 102 for fixing to the main body, and a recess 105 for fitting to the piping of a fin and tube heat exchanger. This fixing device was formed by using a resin material. The piping was fabricated from a copper material. In such conventional constitution, the tip of the temperature sensing element is a part of an electronic control circuit, and the temperature sensing element was installed in the air conditioner while the tip of the temperature sensing element was exposed.
The surface of the temperature sensing element of the modern air conditioner is covered with insulating resin or the like, but the thickness of this insulating film is a minimum thickness necessary for sensing air temperature, and is, for example, about 0.1 mm to about 0.2 mm. Accordingly, in the exposed state of the surface of the temperature sensing element, when the temperature sensing element is installed in the air conditioner, the surface of the coating of the tip of the temperature sensing element is likely to be flawed, and if the user touches the flawed temperature sensing element, the temperature sensing element may be broken, and the temperature control of the air conditioner becomes imperfect, which causes problems for the safety of the user.
It is hence an object of the invention to present a fixing device to prevent damage of the temperature sensing element from outside and to prevent the user from touching directly the temperature sensing element.